Mexicans going home warned to be careful

MEXICO CITY, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- Mexicans returning from the United States for the holidays are being warned to take precautions because of drug violence.

The Mexican government is warning travelers to move in convoys and only during daylight, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The convoys can be "escorted or monitored" if travelers check in with federal agents at the border, the government said. The army is also offering protection.

"When our own government says it's not safe to travel in our own country, it really makes you feel sad," said Luis Garcia, head of a Mexican club in Lynwood, Calif.

Garcia said many of the 2,300 members of his Federacion Veracruzana are canceling their trips home this year. The topic has been a top concern among Mexican expatriate clubs, and "people are really worried," he said.

Garcia said motorists often hit roadblocks where people disguised as police demand money and possessions.

Mexicans living in the United States often return to their hometowns from late November through early January. Mexican state governments have predicted that this season their numbers may fall by half.

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